Amusement apparatus



' P. n. HAUNSON.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS. APPLICAIION FILEQ NOV- 8, 1919. 1,362,864, Patented Dec. 21, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WITNESSES P D 1 A A TTORIVEYS Patented Dec. 21, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. A TTORNEYS P. ,D. HAUNSON.

' AMUSEMENT APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 8, 1919.

1,362,8 4, Patented Dec. 21,1920.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3.

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mumm llllil iil lIliil on a WITNESSES P D H lNl/j/QVl/QR ANN A TTOR/VEYS P. D. HAUNSON.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

APPLICAIION FILED NOV. 8, 1919.

1362 8641 Patented Dec. 21, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

MINI" WITNESSES v IIVVENTOR .1 ,D. MUNSOM BY Q .4. w. M

A TTOB/VEYS PERCY DAVID HAUNSON, OF BRECKENRIDGE, MINNESOTA.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 21', 1920.

Application filed November 8, 1919. Serial No. sear/e1.

To all whom 2'25 may concern:

Be it known that I, PERCY DAVID HAUN- SON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Breckenridge, in the county of Wilkin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Amusement Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in amusement apparatus, and has for its object to provide apparatus of the character specified of comparatively simple construction, and consisting of a series of pairs of rings mounted to revolve about a common vertical axis and to rotate each upon a horizontal axis, with the members of the pairs so arranged that the spheres described by the rotation of the rings will intersect.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view of the improved apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section;

Fig. 4 is a side View of the supporting base- Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the top of the apparatus;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66 of Fig. 3; l

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a section through the mounting of one of the connecting pinions.

In the present embodiment of the invention a base 1 is provided, the said base be ing in the present instance a cup shaped member, and the bottom of this base is recessed on its upper and lower faces, as indicated at 2 and 3, at the axis thereof.

A shaft, consisting of sections 4 and 5, is mounted in the recess 2, the section a being pinned to the base as indicated at 6, and g the upper end of this section is threaded to engage within a sleeve 7 which is rotatably connectedwith the upper section 5.

This upper section 5, as shown more par ticularly in Fig. 6, has a head or annular rib at its lower end, and this rib engages within an annular groove 9 in the sleeve. Thus. the shaft section 5 may rotate freely with respect to the sleeve and to the section 4 and the sections 4: and 5 maybe adjusted toward and from each other.

An annular frame or ring 10 is supported by the base and by the shaft 4-5, the said ring being connected to the base by rods 17, the said ringor frame being supported from the top of the shaft 15 by means of guys 11, each of which is connected at one end to the ring and at the other to the top of the shaft section 5.

The connection with the ring is by means of angle plates 12, each of which has a portion connected to the ring in a manner to be presently described, and a portion provided with an eye bolt 13, with which the guy is engaged. The other end of the guy engages an opening in a concavo-convex plate 1a which is held on the top of the shaft section 5 in the manner shown in F ig. 5.

The upper end of the shaft section 5 is threaded, and a collar 15 engages the thread ed portion below the plate 14:. A cap 16 is threaded on to the threaded portion of the shaft above the plate 14, and it will be obvious that by means of the collar and the cap the plate may be adjusted vertically on the shaft section.

A series of rods 17 connects the ring with the base, each rod having its inner end received within a radial recess in the base, while its outer end is reduced, as indicated at 18, and passes through an opening in the ring, and also through an opening in the adjacent angle plate 12. Each reduced portion is engaged by a nut 19 outside of the ring, and the nut, in addition to securing the ring to the shaft or rod 17, also secures the angle plate 12 to the ring.

A series of pairs of rings 20 is mounted between the ring and the base, each of these rings having journal pins 21 and 22 arranged at diametrically opposite points. The journal pin 21 of each ring engages an opening in the ring or frame 10, and the journal pin22 of each ring is journaled in a radial recess in the base 1.

As shown more particularly in Fig. 2

there are four shafts or rods 17 arranged at angles of ninety degrees with respect to each other, and a pair of rings 20 isarranged between each'pair of shafts or rods 17. The planes of the rings of each pair are arranged at rig t angles to each other and each pair. of rings .is geared together, so that they will rotate at the same speed and in opposite directions.

A pinion 23 is secured to each shaft22,

same size, the rings 20 will be driven at the same speed, and since i the base carrying the ring 10 is rotating about a vertical axis the rings will be simultaneously revolved about the base and will be; rotated upon a horizontal axis, the plane f each ring cutting the plane of its companion ring of the paironce during each rotation.

Each ring carries a pair of seats 27, the V seatsbeing pivoted to the ring in such ma1iner that they may always hang freely downwandly, regardless of the position of the ring. As shown, .each seat has upstanding arms 28 which are journaled on the ring, a

spacing sleeve 29 being arrangedbetween the arms to properly space them. These sleeves 29 are prevented'from movement circumferentially of the ring in .anydesired manner and thus the ,holdthe seats in the proper positionon t ering.

Whenthe device is operated in a manner to be 1 described, the rings will be. moved about a vertical "axis and at the same time will rotate on'horiontal axes radial to the vertical. axis about which they revolve.

Inpractice, the base is. supported by an inverted substantially .U-shaped support 30 uprising from .a suitable foundation 31, and. the ring 26, is. secured to the body portion of this support, coaxial with the base.

.A shaft .32 has its upper end passing throughan opening in the body of the sup portend engaging within the recess 3-of jthe supp.ort,and.it willbe noticed that this recess is polygonal in .crosssection.

The engaging portion 33 of the shaft is alsopolygonal, andisin theform of a cap fitting over the upper end. of the shaft 32 .andpinnedthereto. The lower end of this shaft 32 is ionrnaledin a bearing in across bracket 34connecting the arms ofthesupport 30. This shaft 32 is rotated from a driving shaft 35ljournaled in the arms of .a substantially .Llrshaped bracket 36 on the under side of a platform 37 which is {mounted at afsuitable levelbelowthe .ring.

The shaft 35 has a pulley 38 at its upper end fen engagement by abelt 39 for connecting it withe -suitable source of power, and

the inner end. of the shaft has apinion 40 which meshes with the ,teeth. of a gear ring 41 secured to the lower end ofthe shaft 32.

A flight of stairs 42 is providedfor giving acces t the platter? 3 a sh vn- -l in the same manner.

stairs are formed from a plate bent to form treads and risers and having hand rails 43 which, in addition to serving as hand rails, also brace the treads and risers.

It will be understoodv that the seats 27 may be of any usual or desired construction, and may be suitably upholstered or otherwise decorated, if desired. The diameter ofthe rings 20 will of course depend upon the diameter of the ring 10, that is, upon the size of the apparatus as a whole, and it will be understood ,thatthe-apparatus may be constructed in any desired size, withany number .of pairs of rings. At theleast, the rings should be eighteen feet in diameter to give the seats plenty .oficlearance. 'While, but eight ringsand sixteen seats are shown,

it will be obvious that the, number of rings and seats is not limited.

In loadingthe apparatus, the seats are brought in succession to the position shown .in Fig. 3, at the lower portionsof the, rings 20. Four. movements are necessary-t0 load. The first movement brings the parts into the position ofFig. 3 and the lower seats may be loaded. A quarter turnof the rings 20 will bring another set ofseats inlowermost position, and when these are loaded two. more turns or a half turn will complete the loading. The unloading will take place It is obviousthat the seats might be replaced by cars,.if.,desired, each car holding a number of persons.

I claim:

1. An amusement apparatus comprising a supporting shaft, a ring supported by. the; shaft in coaxial spaced relation, a series of I shaft, the members of the pairs havingtheir planes at right angles to each other andeach ring carrying seats arranged .at opposite sides of the axis of rotation, means for constraining the rings of each .pairto rotate together, means for rotating theshaft, and 7 means controlled by the rotationof. the shaft for rotating the rings on axesradial to the shaft.

2. An amusement apparatus comprising a supporting shaft,. a ring supported by the .shaft'in coaxial spaced relation,.-means for .for rotating the rings at the same rate of speed.

3. In amusement apparatus, a rotatable support comprising a, shaft and a ring held coaxially therewith, guys connecting the ring to the top of. the shaft, a platehaving 1'00 an opening for the shaft and to which the support comprising a shaft and a ring held guys are connected and means for adjusting coaXially therewith, guys connecting the said plate vertically on the shaft, said ring to the top of the shaft, a plate having 10 means comprising a collar threaded on to an opening for the shaft and to which the 5 the shaft below the plate and a cap threaded guys are connected, and means for adjusting on to the shaft above the plate. said plate vertically on the shaft.

4. In amusement apparatus, a rotatable PERCY DAVID HAUNSON. 

